AT&T Fights Texting While Driving with Simulator Tour

AT&T Fights Texting While Driving with Simulator Tour

A phone company wants to show drivers the dangers of texting and driving across the country.

A phone company wants to show drivers the dangers of texting and driving across the country.

A group from AT&T has been touring around with a new simulator targeted toward teens.

Their message is when it comes to texting and driving: it can wait.

"We've got great products and services. We want you to use them, but don't do it while you're driving," says Chris Lester, an AT&T Spokesperson.

AT&T wants texting and driving to stop.

They're drawing people in with a simulator.

"It's a personal safety issue. It's a public safety issue, and it's something that we as a company are really concerned about. We need to raise awareness about this particular risk," Lester says.

The simulator gives people first-hand experience just how dangerous texting and driving can be.

"It's eye opening. I mean, particularly for some of the younger drivers who are, you know, it's a real life experience in a same environment," Lester says.

Using the simulator, a driver straps on virtual reality goggles.

AT&T gives the user a phrase to text, while the user is also navigating through a busy neighborhood.

Everyone fails.

"It was a very real simulation, and I mean it's just not worth it. You know what I mean? It's not worth it to, you know, just be texting somebody, maybe something that's not absolutely urgent and have an accident that could be fatal," says Emily Lynn, a young driver who went through the simulator.

Afterward, many drivers signed a pledge to stop texting and driving.

"If you're not focused on your driving then you could, it's easy enough to get in a wreck or get someone else killed," says Quentin Miller, another young driver who went through the simulator.

The Kansas Highway Patrol, also there, hopes the simulator drives the point home for drivers here and everywhere.

"Texting is illegal in Kansas, and you shouldn't do it. It is dangerous. Also, wear your seat-belt. That's much more likely to save your life if you get in a crash," says Andrew Campbell, with the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Texting from the driver's seat happens every day. It happens so often, some are now calling it a deadly epidemic. One filmmaker hopes his documentary will open some eyes to the impact of that split-second decision to send a text while driving.